
Class _£l_Jq &-**____ 






65thCongress1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ^No™ 

jd Session i l 



l ;•■ 



HENRY T. HELGESEN 

( Late a Representative from North Dakota ) 



MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

DELIVERED IN THE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

SIXTY-FIFTH CONGRESS 






Proceedings in the House Proceedings in the Senate 

March 10, 1918 April 11, 1917 



PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 
THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING 




! 



WASHINGTON 

1919 



Elm 




R7 of 3. 

FEB li I92Q 



TABLE OF CONTEXTS 



Proceedings in the House ° 

Prayer by Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D 5,8 

Memorial addresses by — 

Mr. George M. Young, of North Dakota 11 

Mr. John M. Baer, of North Dakota 15 

Mr. Gilbert Haugen, of Iowa 20 

Mr. Charles 0. Lobeck, of Nebraska 22 

Mr. Charles H. Dillon, of South Dakota 25 

Mr. Ernest I.undeen, of Minnesota 28 

Mr. Patrick D. Norton, of North Dakota 33 

Proceedings in the Senate 41 



[3] 




HON. HENRY T HELGESEN 



DEATH OF HON. HENRY T. HELGESEN 



Proceedings in the House of Representatives 

Wednesday, April 11, 1917. 
The House met at 12 o'clock noon. 

The Chaplain, Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D., offered the 
following prayer: 

We come to Thee, O God our Father, with glad and 
thankful hearts that we are involved in a plan which can 
not fail of its ultimate purpose because of Thine infinite 
wisdom, power, and goodness. Yet history, observation, 
and experience teach emphatically that we may retard 
its progress as individuals, as a Nation, a race, by oppos- 
ing the will of its Projector. Teach us, O God our Father, 
how to work together with Thee for the end which all 
true men long for, hope for, pray for, that Thy will may 
be done in us. 

We have been touched by the going of a Member of this 
House, which leaves a void in our hearts. Comfort his 
colleagues, friends, and family by the blessed promises 
of the immortality of the soul, and help us to look for- 
ward with faith and confidence to the fulfilling of Thy 
plans in the larger life beyond the grave. And all praise 
be Thine through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Mr. Norton. Mr. Speaker, it becomes my sad duty to 
announce the death of the Hon. Henry T. Heegesen, a Rep- 
resentative from the Slate of North Dakota, who died in 
the city of Washington on yesterday afternoon. Mr. Hel- 
gesen's career was a most distinguished and honorable 

[5] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

one. For the last six years he was one of the most highly 
respected Members of this body, and for more than 30 
years he has been a leader in the civic and political activi- 
ties of North Dakota. 

I shall ask, Mr. Speaker, at some future time that a day 
be set apart when Members of this House may be afforded 
an opportunity to pay suitable tribute to his worth and 
character. At this time I send to the Clerk's desk a reso- 
lution, for which I ask present consideration. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The Clerk will report the 
resolution. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

House resolution 46 

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
the death of the Hon. Henry T. Helgesen, a Representative from 
the State of North Dakota. 

Resolved, That a committee of Members of the House, with such 
Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend 
the funeral. 

Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be authorized 
and directed to take such steps as may be necessary for carrying 
out the provisions of these resolutions, and that the necessary ex- 
penses in connection therewith be paid out of the contingent 
fund of the House. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the 
Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

The question was taken, and the resolution was unani- 
mously agreed to. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The Chair, by unanimous 
consent, announces the appointment of the following 
committee. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

Mr. Young of North Dakota, Mr. Norton of North Dakota, Mr. 
Haugen of Iowa, Mr. Dillon of South Dakota, Mr. Johnson of South 
Dakota, Mr. Gandy of South Dakota, Mr. Nicholls of South Carolina, 
Mr. Clark of Florida, Mr. Kincheloe of Kentucky, and Mr. Booher 
of Missouri. 

[6] 



Proceedings in the House 



Mr. Norton. Mr. Speaker, I offer the following reso- 
lution. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The Clerk will report the 
resolution. 

The Clerk read as follows : 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the House do now 
adjourn. 

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 12 o'clock 
and 24 minutes p. m.) the House, under its previous order, 
adjourned to meet at 11 o'clock a. m. on Friday, April 13, 
1917. 

Friday. April 13, 1917. 
A message from the Senate, by Mr. Waldorf, its enroll- 
ing clerk, announced that the Senate had passed the 
following resolutions: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sensibility the 
announcement of the death of the Hon. Henry T. Helgesen, late 
a Representative from the State of North Dakota. 

Resolved, That a committee of 10 Senators be appointed by the 
Vice President, to join the committee appointed on the part of the 
House of Representatives, to attend the funeral of the deceased. 

Resolved, That the Secretary communicate a copy of these reso- 
lutions to the House of Representatives. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the Senate do now 
adjourn. 

And that in compliance with the foregoing resolutions 
tlie Vice President had appointed, under the second reso- 
lution, as the committee on the part of the Senate, Mr. 
C.ronna, Mr. McCumber, Mr. Kenyon, Mr. La Follette, Mr. 
Jones of New Mexico, Mr. Husting, Mr. Cummins, Mr. 
Broussard, Mi-. Smith of South Carolina, and Mr. Fernald. 

Wednesday, March 6, 1018. 
Mr. Baer. Mr. Speaker, I desire to ask unanimous con- 
sent that Sunday, March 24, 1918, be set aside for addresses 

m 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

on the life, character, and puhlic services of Henry T. 
Helgesen, late Representative in Congress from the first 
district of North Dakota. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The gentleman from North 
Dakota [Mr. Baer] asks unanimous consent that Sunday, 
March 24, 1918, be set aside for eulogies upon the life, 
character, and public services of the late Henry T. 
Helgesen, a Representative from North Dakota. Is there 
objection? 

There was no objection. 

Thursday, March 7, 1918. 

Mr. Baer. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
the memorial exercises for the late Representative 
Helgesen, of North Dakota, be held on the 10th of March 
next at 12 o'clock instead of on the 24th of March. 

The Speaker. The gentleman from North Dakota asks 
unanimous consent to change the date for the memorial 
services for the late Representative Helgesen from the 
24th to the 10th of March. Is there objection? 

There was no objection. 

Sunday, March 10, 1918. 

The House met at 12 o'clock noon and was called to 
order by Mr. Norton as Speaker pro tempore. 

The Chaplain, Rev. Henry N. Couden, D. D., offered 
the following prayer: 

Eternal God, our Heavenly Father, so near and yet so 
seemingly far; 

Speak to him Thou, for he hears, and spirit with spirit can meet; 
Closer is he than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet. 

In pursuance to a long-established custom of the Con- 
gress of the United States, we assemble here to-day in 
memory of a Member who served with fidelity, interest, 



[8] 



Proceedings in the House 



and ability his district, his State, and Nation for many 
years on the floor of this House. His work done, Thou 
hast called him to the larger life and to a larger service. 

Death always comes with a shock. It is one of the pro- 
found mysteries which our limited knowledge can not 
solve. 

The mind that thought, willed, and obeyed; the heart 
that loved and poured its affections out to whom it was 
sent; the eyes through which the soul looked; the hand 
that clasped with warmth the friends and loved ones are 
stilled; and we look with awe and reverence upon the 
prostrate form. 

The angel of faith comes to our relief. 

Hope says, be still, sad heart, and cease repining, 
For behind the clouds is the sun still shining. 

So we trust and rest our grief in Thee, for love is im- 
mortal, and, though long delayed, it shall at last be satis- 
fied. This comforts us and all who mourn for the de- 
parted; that we may look forward to a brighter day in a 
brighter realm, where our loved ones shall dwell for- 
ever in our presence; in the name of the Father and of 
the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The Clerk will read the spe- 
cial order for to-day. 

The Clerk read as follows: 

On motion of Mr. Baer, by unanimous consent, 

Ordered, That Sunday, March 10, 1918, be set apart for addresses 
upon the life, character, and public services of Hon. Henry T. 
Helgesen, late a Representative from the State of North Dakota. 

Mr. Baer. Mr. Speaker. I ask that the following reso- 
lutions be reported. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The Clerk will report the 
resolutions. 



[9] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

The Clerk read as follows : 

House resolution 268 

Resolved, That the business of the House be now suspended, that 
opportunity may be given for tributes to the memory of Hon. 
Henry T. Helgesen, late a Member of this House from the State 
of North Dakota. 

Resolved, That as a particular mark of respect to the memory of 
the deceased, and in recognition of his distinguished public career, 
the House, at the conclusion of these exercises, stand adjourned. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the 
Senate. 

Resolved, That the Clerk send a copy of these resolutions to the 
family of the deceased. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The question is on agreeing 
to the resolutions. 
The resolutions were unanimously agreed to. 



[10] 



MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 



Address of Mr. Young, of North Dakota 

Mr. Speaker: Henry T. Helgesen, late a Member of 
Congress from the first district of North Dakota, whose 
memory we have met to honor to-day, was born near 
Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa. After having been 
educated in the public schools, normal institute, and busi- 
ness college of Decorah, he entered the mercantile busi- 
ness there. He moved to Milton, then in the Territory of 
Dakota, in 1887. He at once became an active and per- 
manent figure in the business and political life of the 
Territory. He served two terms as commissioner of agri- 
culture and labor, retiring from that office in 1892. 

He was at all times a staunch friend of education. He 
stood for higher standards for the public and high schools 
as well as the institutions of higher learning. In this con- 
nection he served as a member of the board of university 
regents for 10 years. 

A man of sterling honesty and integrity as well as a 
close student of history and political economy, Mr. Hel- 
gesen was an idealist in politics. In this respect he was 
typical of the idealism characteristic of his race. He was 
one of the first men in North Dakota to appreciate the 
need for a reform in the political methods then in vogue. 
He stood for clean primaries, clean conventions, and, 
above all, for placing the reins of power in the hands of 



:n] 



Memorial Addresses : Representative Helgesen 

the people. He fought for the restoration of genuine 
representative government in North Dakota. To that end 
he was active in the organization of the Scandinavian 
League. That league was for a number of years a pow- 
erful factor for clean politics. Later he became interested 
in the movement known as Progressive Republicanism. 
Living at a long distance from my home, I had not until 
then become personally acquainted with him, though he 
was a well-known figure in the State. From that time I 
was intimately associated with him in political matters. 

In 1908 we were the candidates of the Progressive fac- 
tion for the two positions of Representative in Congress, 
our State not having been divided into congressional dis- 
tricts at that time. While we were both defeated, the 
long and vigorous speaking campaign which we engaged 
in was thought by many to have been in large part the 
cause of the election of one-half of our ticket, it being 
our habit to talk for the principles underlying our cause 
rather than in aid of our candidacies. 

Two years later, having received the highest vote among 
those defeated at the former election, I was invited at two 
different State meetings of Progressive Republicans to 
become a candidate for Congress as a running mate for 
Mr. Helgesen, the support of Progressive Republicans 
being assured to both of us. Representative Gronna 
having become a candidate for the Senate, there was a 
vacancy in the House, and it was believed that one Pro- 
gressive Republican could be elected. As our State had 
not yet been divided into congressional districts, I would 
have in a sense been a candidate against Mr. Helgesen, 
as it was improbable that we could both be elected. 
Mr. Hanna was serving his first term and, according to 
custom, was thought to be sure of a second term. I re- 
fused to be a candidate. This circumstance is mentioned 
somewhat in detail as evidence of my great respect and 



[12] 



Address of Mr. Young, of North Dakota 

love for our departed friend. I am proud to have thus 
had the opportunity in a rather tangible way to show my 
admiration and esteem of his many excellent qualities. 
He was nominated and elected along with Mr. Hanna. 
Within a few months the North Dakota Legislature di- 
vided the State into congressional districts. So the way 
was opened for me to come here, where I joined Mr. Hel- 
gesen in the Sixty-third Congress. 

My seryice with him here will always be a pleasant 
memory. We were closely associated. I am proud to 
have had his confidence. I valued his advice, and he 
seemed to regard mine as worth while. The day before he 
went to the hospital, never to return, he called at my 
office and we spent almost three hours discussing some 
pending legislation. 

I admired Mr. Helgesen because of his splendid cour- 
age. Having reached a decision as to what would be the 
right course, he would stand fast, stand firm, and stand 
alone, if need be. It was this trait of character which 
endeared him to the people of his State and commanded 
the respect and love of his colleagues in the House. He 
had the spirit of William Lloyd Garrison when he said: 

I will not excuse, I will not equivocate, I will not retreat an 
inch, I will be heard. 

To be first in advocating a good and, perhaps, unpopu- 
lar cause is to be lonely, but to be thus lonely is to be 
noble. It was this nobility of soul which characterized 
Henry T. Helgesen. 

Underlying all his business dealings and public acts 
was a sublime faith in the religion of Jesus Christ. Pro- 
gressive and advanced in his thought in all other respects, 
he was old-fashioned in his religious ideas. Perhaps 
that accounts for his rugged honesty. He lived his re- 



[13] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

ligion. When the lime came he was ready to go, and, I 
fancy, passed on in the spirit of one of the hymns he 
loved : 

love, that will not let me go, 

I rest my weary soul on thee; 

1 give thee back the life I owe, 

That in thine ocean depths its flow 
May richer, fuller be. 

O light, that followed all my way, • 

I yield my flickering torch to thee; 
My heart restores its borrowed ray 

That in thy sunshine's blaze its day 
May brighter, fairer be. 

joy, that seekest me through pain, 
I can not close my heart to thee; 

1 trace the rainbow through the rain, 
And feel the promise is not vain 

That morn shall tearless be. 

love, that lifted up thy head, 

I dare not ask to fly from thee; 

1 lay in dust life's glory dead, 

And from the ground there blossoms red 
Life that shall endless be. 



[14] 



Address of Mr. Baer, of North Dakota 

Mr. Speaker: The United States is rightly termed the 
melting pot of the world. From every clime and nation 
men and women seek our hroad land to find their right- 
ful place " in the sun " and eventually to hecome a part 
of our citizenry. Of all the peoples who thus come to 
our shores none more fully embody the elements of good 
citizenship than do the Norwegians. Intelligent, thrifty, 
and hard-working, they quickly and readily adapt them- 
selves to the new land which they have sought from afar. 
No " hyphenated Americans " they, hut an integral part 
of our body politic. That community or State may call 
itself fortunate which numbers among its people a goodly 
proportion of citizens of Norwegian birth or ancestry. 

It was the good fortune of the late Congressman Henry 
T. Helgesen to be the direct descendant of such stock. 
It was also his good fortune to be born poor. I do not 
mean in grinding, abject poverty, but in those circum- 
stances and conditions that teach lessons of frugality and 
inculcate habits of thrift and industry. 

His birthplace was a farm in Decorah, Winneshiek 
County, Iowa. He received his education in the public 
schools and normal and business colleges of that town. 
There he spent his youth and early manhood. After 
leaving school Mr. Helgesen engaged in mercantile pur- 
suits and quickly became one of the prominent young 
business men of Decorah. Great was the regret of his 
fellow townspeople when, in 1881, the pioneer spirit of 
his ancestors stirring within him, Mr. Helgesen, with his 
young wife and babies, removed to the then Territory 
of Dakota. He was one of the first settlers in Milton, of 
which town he remained a citizen until bis death. 



[15] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

It was not my privilege to enjoy the personal acquaint- 
ance of Mr. Helgesen, but, as his successor in represent- 
ing the first district of North Dakota in Congress, I have 
learned much of his nobility of character and the high 
esteem in which he was held by the people of his adopted 
State. A letter written to him a short time before his 
death by a North Dakota man well expressed this esteem. 
The writer opened his letter with these words: " Dear 
and beloved by all your constituents Mr. Helgesen." 

The words " a prophet is not without honor save in 
his own country" could never be truthfully spoken of 
Mr. Helgesen, for in his home town of Milton the love 
and respect manifested by the people who knew him 
best — his friends and neighbors — is deeply touching. He 
was their Congressman, but he was more — he was their 
trusted friend and neighbor. He was " Heniy " to them, 
and tears still dim the eyes of many as they recount the 
kind words and deeds of him whom they loved. His life 
was one of service in the best sense of the word. 

You who knew Congressman Helgesen well know that 
his splendid physique, vigorous strength, and command- 
ing personality were the outward indication of a keen 
intellect, an analytical mind, and invincible courage. 
The most kind-hearted of men, he could be combative 
and aggressive for what he believed to be right. He was 
essentially a man of the people and a friend of the poor. 
He loved liberty, hated oppression, and detested hy- 
pocrisy. His friendship was true. It could be depended 
upon. He never betrayed a trust. He was honest in 
thought, in word, and in deed. 

Mr. Helgesen's public and political career commenced 
long before his election to Congress. When the Territory 
of Dakota was divided he was the first commissioner of 
agriculture and labor in the new State of North Dakota, 



[16] 



Address of Mr. Baer, of North Dakota 



and held that office for two terms. For 10 years he was 
a member of the board of regents of the University of 
North Dakota. He placed a high value on education and 
took a great interest in the welfare of young people. 
When he became an employer of men it was his delight 
to engage a struggling young man anxious for an educa- 
tion and by every means in his power help such an one 
to attain the goal of his ambition. Many a prosperous 
young man in Iowa and North Dakota owes his start in 
life to the helping hand extended by Congressman Helge- 
sen. So unostentatiously were his kindly deeds per- 
formed, however, that but few other than the recipients 
had knowledge of them. 

In private and in public life Mr. Helgesen was hearty 
and sincere. He was outspoken with the candor of truth. 
His home in Washington was headquarters for any of 
his constituents who visited the Capital City, and warm- 
hearted hospitality was always extended to the folks 
from " back home." In his office or at his home his 
friends were always welcome, but he had no time nor 
inclination for intercourse with those who had proven 
themselves insincere. He was a leader in the fight for 
cleaner politics in North Dakota, and never in the many 
vicissitudes of commercial, private, or political life was 
his good name tarnished or his honor stained. His rule 
of conduct was the golden rule, and his slogan was "A 
square deal for all." 

A plain, practical man, Mr. Helgesen yet possessed a 
strain of sentiment of which only his close friends were 
aware. A beautiful picture, a touching poem, and fine 
music were deeply appreciated by him. Among his per- 
sonal papers were always to be found clippings of short 
poems and bits of literature which had appealed to him 
and were treasured for their charm of pathos or senti- 
ment. 

116939°— 19 2 [17] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

His personal tastes were intellectual. He was a man of 
wide and varied study and numbered among his friends 
writers and scientists of world renown. His scientific 
work and research in geography and current history were 
extensive, and his contributions to the literature of 
geographical exploration have attracted the attention and 
won the highest commendation and indorsement of men 
of learning and science. 

Four times in succession was Mr. Helgesen elected to 
represent the people of North Dakota in Congress, once 
as Congressman at Large and three times as Representa- 
tive from the first district. During his term of service he 
was an honored and useful Member of this House, and 
his active work on the Agricultural Committee will long 
be remembered by his constituents and colleagues alike. 
Rlessed with a keen mind and sound common sense, he 
fought gallantly for any measure which seemed to him 
to be for the best advantage of his constituents and the 
people of the Nation at large. 

Having spent his boyhood days on a farm, and repre- 
senting a constituency largely composed of farmers, Mr. 
Helgesen was ever alert to the agricultural interests of 
the country. His speech in the House in 1911 on reci- 
procity with Canada is still quoted as embodying the 
soundest arguments advanced on that question from the 
farmer's point of view. He was an ardent advocate of 
woman suffrage and was ever ready to speak a good 
word for that worthy cause. 

In regard to our foreign policies, Congressman Hel- 
gesen felt deeply, thought clearly, and acted with the 
courage of his convictions. Always independent of 
slavish precedents, he did not hesitate to cast his vote 
with a hopeless minority when he felt that minority to be 
right. As an opponent he was a fair and generous fighter. 
He always fought in the open. He never stabbed an 



[18] 



Address of Mr. Baer, of North Dakota 

antagonist in the back or shot from ambush. He never 
faltered in a fight, even though he foresaw the loss of the 
battle. To him — 

It was not the loss of the hattle that counts, 
But how did you fight, and why? 

Mr. Helgesen was a loving husband and a kind and 
affectionate father. He left to his children the priceless 
legacy of unsullied honor and an untarnished name; 
and when he was overtaken in the strength and prime of 
manhood by that silent adversary to whom sooner or 
later we must all surrender his last thoughts and words 
were for the welfare and happiness of his loved ones. 
In the opening days of the Sixty-fifth Congress his earthly 
remains were carried to his boyhood home for their long 
rest, and from far and near men and women came to do 
him honor and to mourn his loss. Eulogies were deliv- 
ered at his funeral by men of learning and eloquence, but 
of them all none could surpass the tribute paid by the 
plain words of hundreds of his fellow citizens that 
" Henry Helgesen was one of the straightest, squarest 
men the State had ever known." 

He was a friend of truth, of soul sincere, 

In action faithful and in honor clear; 

Who broke no promises, served no private ends, 

Sought no title, and forsook no friends. 



[19] 



Address of Mr. Haugen, of Iowa 

Mr. Speaker : It was my pleasure to know Mr. Helgesen 
intimately during his stay here in Washington, to serve 
with him on committees where our duties Drought us in 
frequent and friendly contact. I observed closely his 
faithful and efficient work here in the House, especially 
on the Committee on Agriculture. Of Mr. Helgesen it 
can truthfully be said that he was a noble example of 
manhod, kindly and lovingly disposed, greatly admired, 
commanding the respect and admiration of all who knew 
him. He was not only a man of high type of character, 
sterling qualities, and talent, but he was sociable, courte- 
ous, obliging, and loyal to his friends and his country. 
He was endowed with lofty ideals, and always pursued 
his duty with fidelity, industry, and rectitude of purpose. 
His guiding star was honesty and sincerity, always shun- 
ning deceit and cunning practice. Though modest and 
unassuming, Mr. Helgesen was a man of action, a man 
of firm determination to do justice and right to all. To 
the bottom of his heart he deplored deceit and oppres- 
sion. He was a forcible, logical, and convincing speaker, 
a man of integrity, sound judgment, possessed of a broad 
mind and firm convictions. As a result he honorably 
and gloriously succeeded in fulfilling the duties incum- 
bent upon him. Knowing Mr. Helgesen, it was impossi- 
ble not to become attached to him and to be inspired with 
the fullest confidence and respect for his grand character. 

Mr. Helgesen was born in my district, in Winneshiek 
County. On the hill overlooking the beautiful city of 
Decorah and the splendid surrounding scenery rest his 
remains. In that vicinity he spent his boyhood days, at 
school and on the farm, up to the time he moved, then a 
young man, to the State of North Dakota, where he soon 

[20] 



Address of Mr. Hacgen, of Iowa 



became one of its foremost citizens, taking an active part 
in politics, farming, and business. From boyhood bis life 
was pure and stainless. He rose from the humble walks 
of life to the high position which he held in this House. 
His record, both private and public, is an open book with- 
out a stain of immorality, deception, fraud, or corrup- 
tion. I am sure that I voice the sentiment of every Mem- 
ber of this House, his constituents, and all who knew him 
when I say that in Mr. Helgesen we had a splendid type 
of manhood, founded upon integrity and virtue; that his 
loyalty to principles, his devotion to truth, his industry, 
his conscientious and efficient work merited the esteem, 
confidence, and respect in which he was held by his large 
circle of devoted friends and admirers acquired during 
his career here. 

In his Christian home he was a devoted and kind hus- 
band, an affectionate father, a friendly and obliging 
neighbor. His death caused deep bereavement, sincere 
and profound regret to all. He died in the full maturity 
of his mental vigor, at a time when his life, character, 
example, mature judgment, and wisdom was of the great- 
est value to his country. 



[21] 



Address of Mr. Lobeck, of Nebraska 

Mr. Speaker: I came here to-day more to listen than 
to speak ; for I wished to hear the story of the earlier days 
of our beloved colleague, his helpfulness to mankind, and 
the tributes of affection to the memory of our departed 
friend. 

One of the first men that I met in Congress and became 
acquainted with was Congressman Helgesen. Immedi- 
ately there arose between us that friendship and love 
that man should have for man and that will never be 
forgotten. There was something about him that appealed 
to me as a man of great thought and business ability and 
as one who inspired confidence in everyone that he met. 
Possibly one of the reasons for my getting acquainted 
with him closely was that I knew of the nationality from 
which his people came. I have known the Scandinavian 
people from my boyhood days, and no better people ever 
came to the West for the purpose of developing that great 
country. As early as the forties, in the last century, the 
Norwegians came to Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and later 
to Minnesota, and then farther west, and no people have 
done more to develop that part of our glorious heritage 
than the Scandinavians. 

They came with empty hands. Most of them were poor, 
but they had a faith in themselves and in God. They 
turned the virgin soil to the sun; they plowed, sowed, and 
reaped; they built homes, humble in the beginning, but 
which became in later years the very best in our country. 
They did their part in building towns and cities. They 
went into the lumber camps of the North and felled the 
forests, and did as much as any other people to develop 

[22] 



Address of Mr. Lobeck, of Nebraska 

that portion of our land. They entered into business life, 
into every line of activity that the American people en- 
gage in, and they have been successful. I believe that one 
of the reasons why the Scandinavian people of this coun- 
try have become true Americans is that they brought 
the Bible and the hymn book with them. They feared 
God and no one else. They commenced their services 
praising the Almighty God, the Father of us all, and lis- 
tened to the teachings of the Master in humble homes; 
but as soon as possible they erected churches for divine 
worship. And they not only erected churches but schools 
and colleges, that their children might attend and learn 
the ways of true Americanism and have that advantage 
which would make them equally successful with other 
peoples in the world. 

From that kind of stock Congressman Helgesen came. 
I listened to the remarks of my colleagues here as to his 
early days on the farm, then as a young merchant, and 
then as a pioneer in North Dakota. I have seen and 
know of that same experience in the lives of many of 
them, and I do not wonder that when Congressman Helge- 
sen became a Member of this House that he knew the 
needs of the people of the West, that he knew the needs 
of the people of this country, and that he at once became 
an active and useful Member of this House. It is to be 
regretted that he should have had to pass away in the 
prime of his manhood and usefulness. 

The Scandinavians of this country have been a loyal 
people. Mr. Helgesen could not have been otherwise, 
because in the community where he was raised there 
were no more patriotic people than the people of De- 
corah, Iowa. When the call came in his boyhood days 
from President Lincoln that this Nation must be pre- 
served no class of people responded more freely than his 
people. 



[23] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

It is told of a neighbor of his that he had six boys that 
went into the service for the preservation of this Union 
who had the longest record of service of any family in 
1861-1865. When the youngest boy, whom I have known 
well in later years, came and asked his mother — he was 
only 16 — " Can I enlist? " she said, " Five of my boys are 
gone; you should stay at home." But the sturdy old father 
rose up in his chair and said, "Any boy that I have got, 
large enough to carry a gun for our flag and my adopted 
country, shall have full freedom to go." Those six boys 
gave 24 years of service in the preservation of our Union. 

Henry T. Helgesen was but a little boy at that time, but 
the spirit of the neighborhood at that time must have 
created in him a patriotic spirit of devotion to our flag 
and devotion to everything that the Stars and Stripes 
stand for that could never be forgotten, and therefore I 
do not wonder that as a boy, as a youth, as a young man, 
and as he grew older in years he wanted to do the best 
for his country, his neighbors, and be helpful to mankind. 

It is that class of men in this country, that class of citi- 
zens, that help make this country the best Nation and 
the best people on earth. We can ill afford to lose men 
like Henry T. Helgesen. It will take strong men to fill 
his place. But we can look back with pleasure upon our 
association with him, those of us who served with him, 
and we can tell to those who come after us and to our 
neighbors that there was no more faithful man to his 
people, to his country, and to our flag than Henry T. Hel- 
gesen, of North Dakota. 



[24] 



Address of Mr. Dillon, of South Dakota 

Mr. Speaker : Henry T. Helgesen, pioneer, farmer, mer- 
chant, public servant, has broken the congressional circle 
and passed over to the valley of the great beyond. We 
pause a moment to render a slight tribute to the memory 
of a personal friend. 

Mr. Helgesen was born near the city of Decorah, Iowa, 
educated in the high schools, a graduate of the little 
college that honors that city. He soon left for the North- 
west, the Territory of Dakota, now North Dakota, where 
he founded his home as a pioneer. When the State 
entered the Union in 1889 he was elected io the office 
of commissioner of labor and agriculture; he was re- 
elected to the same position, in which he gave distinct 
honor and service to his State. 

He was elected to the Sixty-second, the Sixty-third, the 
Sixty-fourth, and the Sixty-fifth Congresses, but before 
the session of the Sixty-fifth Congress convened he was 
confined to his bed in a hospital in the city of Washington. 
But his interest in the legislation then pending before 
Congress was intense. His mind dwelt constantly on the 
great problems that were then pending. 

Soon after I came to the Sixty-third Congress I had 
the pleasure of forming an intimate acquaintance with 
Mr. Helgesen. There was probably not a Member in 
all that body that I became so closely associated with in 
counsel and in the discussion of matters that were then 
pending in Congress. , I found him strong in conviction, 
sincere in purpose, loyal to his ideals; an unceasing 
worker, untiring in his efforts to please the people who 
sent him here. 



[25] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

He was known as a Progressive. When that great 
movement struck the Northwest he was a leader of those 
who sought to bring hack the legislative department of 
the Government to the constitutional rights of the people. 
He was one who believed that the legislative department 
of the Government should be brought close to the people, 
and when he found his party in the wrong he refused to 
follow them in the wrong. When he found them in the 
right he gladly followed them and gave his counsel and 
advice. 

It was that sterling character of intense loyalty and 
honesty that formed his opinions on every public ques- 
tion. The loyalty of service was high in his character. 
We often read of the physician who visits in the hos- 
pital the sick with a contagious disease and refuses to 
leave the bedside, notwithstanding the contagious disease, 
the one thought being of public service. We read of the 
engineer who remains upon his engine, moving swiftly 
along the great railroad, with impending danger, and 
refuses to leave his engine, knowing that those under his 
charge rely upon him; when he could jump to a place 
of safety, he prefers to go down in death into the coming 
wreck; like the pilot upon the vessel, refusing to leave 
his place of trusteeship until every passenger has reached 
a place of safety. 

It was such a purpose that was ever uppermost in (he 
mind of Henry T. Helgesen and led him in his public 
service in this House. 

I was one of the number who journeyed on the funeral 
train to that beautiful little city of Decorah, in the district 
now represented by the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. 
Haugen], and when our train reached there the whole 
city was in mourning. The little children filled the streets. 
From every part of the county came old friends to honor 
and revere his memory. I could see many of them weep- 



[26] 



Address of Mr. Dillon, or South Dakota 

ing as the funeral procession went up the street of that 
little city. It was a testimonial that long will live in my 
memory. They laid him to rest in the little cemetery 
that overlooks the city, amid a wilderness of roses. 

Let us, like him, seek the love of little children, the 
good will of men and women, that our lives may he an 
inspiration and our memory a henediction. 



[27] 



Address of Mr. Lundeen, of Minnesota 

Mr. Speaker : In the prime of life he left us. Yesterday 
he stood among us full of vigor and inspiring in his very 
presence. To-night he sleeps beneath the stars. 

And perhaps it is best thus in the midst of the battle of 
life, while strongly defending those principles he held 
nearest his heart, to go down to death and be no more. 

He leaves a vacant chair, and aching hearts will always 
recall him as he was. I can see him now striding down 
the Halls of Congress, tall, strong, and powerful. His 
quick glance and rapid words arrested and held attention. 
He was a leader among men, and none knew him but 
respected the Congressman from the first district of the 
great State of North Dakota. 

My acquaintance with Congressman Henry T. Helgesen 
was brief, but will be long remembered. As a citizen of 
Minnesota, I knew him well by reputation. He was be- 
loved by his people, and his popularity was not confined 
to the boundaries of the district which he represented in 
Congress. Throughout the State of North Dakota and 
the entire Northwest he was known as a man of honor 
and integrity — a man of tremendous faith in the average 
man. 

Mr. Helgesen was a Progressive Republican, but he was 
never at any time a blind follower of any man or of any 
party. He served in this House under a Republican 
administration and under a Democratic administration. 
Four times elected to Congress by the Republican Party, 
he was sometimes criticized by members of that party 
for occasionally voting in favor of Democratic measures. 
A stanch believer in Republican principles, he was suffi- 
ciently broad-minded to be untrammeled by party ties, 

[28] 



Address of Mr. Lundeen, of Minnesota 

and his vote was cast for what he believed to be the best 
interests of the country. 

Those who knew Mr. Helgesen know that he was a man 
of strong convictions. In his political life he was not 
given to snap judgments. He weighed each question as 
it arose carefully and judicially. His decision made, he 
was firm and unswerving in its advocacy. No criticism 
or ridicule, no hectic clamor or political opposition, could 
move him from his place. 

In those stirring days of the Sixty-fourth Congress, when 
the prospect of impending war was discussed on every 
hand, Congressman Helgesen was firm in his contention 
for a continued and impartial neutrality on the part of 
the United States. Those of you who have served here 
for many years know that it is no easy matter for a 
man in Congress to be one of the small minority opposed 
to measures which have the overwhelming support of the 
reigning administration. Yet Mr. Helgesen did not hesi- 
tate to place himself in such minority. At a time when 
we were drifting nearer and nearer war Mr. Helgesen 
introduced in this House a resolution demanding a refer- 
endum of the people of the United States on the question 
whether or not war should be declared. This resolu- 
tion — the last one ever introduced by Mr. Helgesen — was 
read into the Congressional Record by him, and in its 
support he said: 

Mr. Chairman, believing that the people of this Nation have the 
right to be consulted and to determine for themselves whether or 
not they want to become a party to the wholesale slaughter now 
going on in Europe and offer their sons as a sacrifice to the 
modern barbarous and inhuman engines of destruction used by 
both sides in that conflict, I am introducing the following reso- 
lution. 

If the element which insists that war is the only way by which 
we can honorably settle our differences with the belligerents in 
Europe finally succeeds in involving us in that terrible conflict, no 

[29] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

father, no mother, and no American boy who will be sacrificed in 
the trenches in Europe will ever be able to truthfully say that I 
have not done my utmost to save them from such a fate, or that I 
have not tried to give the people of the Nation an opportunity to 
determine for themselves whether or not they believe that war is 
the only honorable means by which we can deal with the situation 
now confronting us. 

Those remarks were typical of the man. The life, lib- 
erty, and happiness of the people of the United States was 
first in his thoughts. His big heart beat warmly for his 
fellow men. He was no pacifist by nature, as none know 
better than his colleagues who served with him in this 
House. Believing, as President Wilson said in his address 
to the Congress on February 26, 1917, that " the American 
people do not want an armed force put into action," Mr. 
Helgesen exerted all of his influence to preserve an im- 
partial and absolute neutrality. 

The last speech made on the floor of the House by Mr. 
Helgesen was a speech against the arming of American 
merchant ships, and when the vote was taken a little later 
on the question of armed neutrality — which was consid- 
ered a practical declaration of war — Mr. Helgesen made- 
one of a little group of 14 men who, fearlessly, in the face 
of overwhelming opposition and at the risk of permanently 
antagonizing the administration, voted against that meas- 
ure. And from every part of his district, his State, and 
the United States a flood of letters and telegrams poured 
into his office, expressing the heartfelt thanks and appre- 
ciation of American citizens from every walk of life for 
his courage and fearlessness in making a determined 
effort to save this country from the horrors of war. 

Congressman Helgesen never forgot that he was a 
servant of the people, holding office by their will. His 
pride in the people who thus honored him was great, and 
his earnest desire to serve his constituents, regardless of 
politics, was well known. In that desire lay much of his 

[30] 



Address of Mr. Lundeen, of Minnesota 

political strength. No complaint was too small for him 
to investigate, no appeal so humble as to be neglected. 
The welfare and wishes of his constituents were the guid- 
ing light of his official action, and that light was never 
dimmed by any willful act of his. 

Always interested in the welfare of the rising genera- 
tion, Mr. Helgesen was a strong advocate of vocational 
education, the principles of which he put into practical 
operation in the education of his own family. 

Mr. Helgesen was deeply interested in geographical 
and historical research, and his work along those lines 
will be long remembered. It was due to his efforts that 
the official United States maps of the Arctic regions were 
corrected to conform to the latest and most authentic re- 
ports, and his writings on Arctic exploration won for him 
an international reputation. Some of the results of his 
investigations were incorporated in a speech delivered 
by him on the floor of the House on January 13, 1916. 
In referring to this speech the noted historian and geogra- 
pher, Edwin Swift Balch, of Philadelphia, wrote to Mr. 
Helgesen : 

It is as fine a piece of historical geography as was ever penned, 
and it will live in geographical annals. 

Dr. Herman Schoenfeld, Ph. D., LL. D., professor at 
Georgetown University, also wrote Mr. Helgesen in re- 
gard to the same speech : 

You have rendered the greatest possible service to the sacred 
cause of truth and science, and your name will therefore be en- 
graved with golden letters in the records of truth in polar dis- 
covery. 

Dr. Chase Salmon Osborn, LL. D., author, explorer, and 
ex-governor of Michigan, considered by many as the most 
widely traveled man of this generation, wrote on March 
20, 1910: 

You have conferred a favor upon the people of the entire Nation. 
As one of them, permit me to thank you. 

[31] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

Middlcton Smith, explorer, author, and member of the 
Point Barrow International Polar Expedition, summed 
up his opinion in these words: 

As a historical document your speech will live forever and a 
day. 

The greatest living American authority on Arctic ex- 
ploration, Maj. Gen. A. W. Greely, leader of the Lady 
Franklin Bay Arctic Expedition, commended Mr. Helge- 
sen's work in geographical research in a letter written 
under date of March 5, 1917, from which I quote: 

Your investigation displays a legal mind of keen perception, and 
your unselfish labor must have been great. * * I feel that you 

have thus rendered a service both to the truth of history and to 
the cause of science. 

In the death of Congressman Helgesen his family lost 
a kind and loving husband and father, his State a con- 
scientious and able Representative, and the Nation an 
upright and fearless statesman. 

He grew in power and independence and his district 
grew with him. The old first will continue for many a 
decade to send strong and independent men to Congress. 
Had he lived through the Sixty-fifth Congress he would 
have continued to hold a leading place in the councils 
of the Nation. Fearless, powerful, untiring, he is badly 
missed to-day. 

Mr. Speaker, death is the great tragedy of life, but, sir, 
the life of Congressman Helgesen reminds us of the 
service we can render and the influence we may leave be- 
hind us. 

The end of the road is a door to God. 

Mr. Young of North Dakota took the chair. 



[32] 



Address of Mr. Norton, of North Dakota 

Mr. Speaker: 

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, 
All that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, 
Await alike the inevitable hour. 
The paths of glory lead but to the grave. 

I come here to-day to pay my tribute of love to the 
memory of him who was my colleague and my friend. 
With those who knew and loved him for his gentle and 
sterling character I come to breathe for a moment the 
sweet fragrance of flowers his life left behind and to lay 
upon the sacred altar of his fame my words of admira- 
tion and esteem. 

I can not hope to be able to pay just tribute in words to 
the memory of North Dakota's brilliant and much-beloved 
citizen whose untimely death we so much lament. The 
magnificent accomplishments of his life, his rise from 
humble surroundings to the position of a recognized 
leader in the greatest legislative body in the world, are 
the highest tributes and the most enduring monuments 
to his memory. 

Mr. Heloesen was of Norwegian descent. He came of 
that hardy pioneer stock which in the middle of the last 
century crossed the seas in quest of new homes and set- 
tled on the untamed but fertile farming lands of the North- 
west and which has done so much in the last 50 years to 
make that section of the country the richest and most 
productive part of the Nation. He was born, reared, and 
educated in Winneshiek County, one of the loveliest por- 
tions of Iowa, and spent the days of his mature manhood 
in upbuilding the great Commonwealth of North Dakota. 

116939°— 19 3 [33] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

By his career he added new honor to the race from which 
he sprang, to the State where he was born, and the State 
he represented here so well and so honorably. 

It was my good fortune to have been closely acquainted 
with Mr. Helgesen for a period of nearly 20 years. The 
opportunity came to me to know him as he actually was. 
It was given me to realize the real man and to appreciate 
the worth and beauty of his character and life. His was 
a rare spirit, such as is given to few on this earth, to 
illumine the pathway as he went by the depth of his logic, 
by the soundness of his wisdom, by the breadth of his 
experience, and the strength and courage of his heroic 
nature. The pomp, the power, and the pride of official 
position never changed his simple faith. No man can 
go far astray whose love of family and kindred and 
friends was so great and such a guiding element in his 
daily personal and public life as it was with my lamented 
colleague. 

For 30 years he was closely identified with the progress 
and development of North Dakota. Coming to Dakota 
Territory from Iowa when he was 30 years of age, he soon 
made the influence of his learning, experience, and sturdy 
character felt in the rapidly growing then agricultural 
frontier of the West. Two years later, when North 
Dakota was admitted to statehood in 1889, he was hon- 
ored by being elected the State's first commissioner of 
agriculture and labor and was reelected to succeed him- 
self, serving in this position for four years. Later he 
served as a member of the board of trustees of the State 
University for three terms. His sound advice and counsel 
did much to lay a broad and firm foundation for the 
magnificent development and success which that institu- 
tion has had during the past two decades. 

Mr. Helgesen possessed in a very large measure the 
strong and sterling characteristics of the Norwegian race 



[34] 



Address of Mr. Norton, of North Dakota 

from which he was descended. His appearance and man- 
ner were kind and pleasing. They were that of a leader 
of men. They commanded the respect and confidence of 
all his friends and acquaintances. He was a man at once 
a lover of fairness and of freedom. He was among the 
early leaders of the progressive spirit in the Republican 
Party in North Dakota. From the railroad and reac- 
tionary interests which for many years held sway in the 
State he met bitter opposition. With the spirit of deter- 
mination and persistence of the Vikings of old he fought 
his way to the top and overcame all opposition. He lived 
to see the principles of State government for which he 
contended succeed. He lived to see the ideas and ideals 
of truly representative government, which he advocated 
in the State for many years when his followers were few, 
become overwhelmingly popular. 

Always liberal and open-minded, he refused to sur- 
render his principles or compromise his convictions. It 
was his sturdy character in public life that won and 
held the confidence of the public. 

During the six years he served in the House of Repre- 
sentatives he won the highest respect and the fullest 
confidence of all his associates. Mr. Helgesen was a 
forceful speaker and at all times a thorough, careful, and 
discriminating student of national affairs. He was one 
of the best and most widely informed men on the very 
important Committee on Agriculture, and Members of 
the House always depended upon him for wise guidance 
on all questions of legislation affecting the agricultural 
interests of the country. Had not his career been cut 
short by the grim reaper, Death, his industry, his intelli- 
gence, and his broad experience would have won for 
him a permanent place among the strongest and most 
influential leaders in Congress. 

He came from the masses of the people, from whence 
has ever come the truly great. He was always loyal and 

[35] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

true to the masses. He learned from the teaching of his 
pioneer parents and from the hard hattles of life which 
he fought the full meaning of the immortal plowman's 
words : 

The honest man, tho e'er so poor, 

Is king of men for a' that. 

He learned in life's battle that as loyal, as noble, and as 
great a heart can beat within the homespun shirt of the 
toiler in mine or field or factory as pulsates beneath the 
royal purple of any prince; and that is why men who 
knew him will ever love his memory and mourn the death 
of this light-haired, blue-eyed, golden-hearted knight of 
the people who lived and died without fear and without 
reproach. 

Mr. Helgesen was in very poor health many months 
before his death. It had been most difficult for him to 
remain at his work. The legislative problems which the 
great war brought upon the country added to his labors, 
but he was not one to shirk responsibilities. He was a 
close student of war problems since the beginning of the 
European war and had the interest of this Nation and its 
people at all times close to his heart. He felt it his duty 
to remain at his post, at whatever personal sacrifice it 
might cost him, to give counsel to his people and to his 
Government in days when the civilization of centuries 
seemed threatened with destruction. Faithful to his ideal, 
my colleague yielded up his noble and useful life. It is 
to be greatly regretted that he should have been taken 
away at the time his country was about to place all the 
power and resources of its free people on the side of the 
contest for world-wide democracy and freedom and for 
the everlasting obliteration from the civilized world of 
monarchy, militarism, and serfdom. His ripe experience 
and his rich counsel would have been of inestimable value 



[36] 



Address of Mr. Norton, of North Dakota 

to this Congress, but he is gone. Why he was taken from 
us at such a time we know not. 

God moves in a mysterious way 

His wonders to perform; 
He plants his footstep in the sea 

And rides upon the storm. 

Still, he did not die in vain. 

Mr. Speaker, the lives of each one of us are guideposls 
to others along the pathways of life. Mr. Helgesen's 
whole life exemplified what may be accomplished by un- 
swerving honesty and a heroic determination to make a 
success of whatever we undertake. The most inspiring 
examples which have descended to us from the pages of 
history, sacred as well as profane, are those of the early 
Christian martyrs and the more modern political and reli- 
gious reformers who have surrendered their lives upon 
the altar of sacrifice, the quiet but determined heroes who 
have suffered martyrdom for principles and convictions 
they held dear, who have died uncomplainingly at their 
posts of duty, as my colleague did. I saw and spoke to 
him shortly before he was taken away. While he seemed 
to realize that death was near, his mind was busy with 
thoughts of State, and his inquiries of me were about the 
work of the Congress, the progress of the world war, and 
the thoughts, feelings, and welfare of the people of our 
own Nation. His departing recalls to me the beautiful 
lines which have been written on " Death and Duty: " 

Dead at his post of duty! 
What finer eulogy? All the boast 
Of pomp and glory seems but idle breath, 
I'cside tile calm quiet of death. 
Where death and duty meet 
Is found solution most complete 
Of all life's problems! It's enough — 

Dead and at bis post! 



[37] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

But such men as he are not dead; they live in the hearts 
of their countrymen. The verdict of history will be that 
he was notable in those characters which go to make up 
the best and strongest characters the world has known. 

He was devoted to his country, faithful to his trust, sin- 
cere in all his relations with his fellow men, and suddenly 
taken from us in the prime of his faculties and the pleni- 
tude of his usefulness. Death has bereft us of his pres- 
ence. Death can not bereave his family, his friends, or 
his country of the high service he rendered nor of the 
tender memories his manly personality inspired. 

While North Dakota's soil would have been proud to 
have guarded his mortal remains, it was fitting that, 
after life's duties nobly done, he should have been taken 
home to the green hillsides of beautiful Winneshiek 
County, Iowa, where he first saw the light of day. We 
laid him to rest near the home of his boyhood, where he 
first met, loved, and won the good wife with whom God 
so blessed his life and of whom he was so justly proud. 
He sleeps where hardy Norsemen and their descendants 
have made with their toil and their intelligence a para- 
dise out of once wild prairie lands. He sleeps near the 
shadows of famed Luther College, an institution of learn- 
ing which I know he admired greatly. He sleeps the last 
long sleep, as he wished to sleep it, on a wonderfully beau- 
tiful hillside overlooking the quiet but charming little 
city of Decorah, where it can be truly said health, happi- 
ness, and contentment cheer all who labor there. 

With hearts full of sorrow we can truly say of him the 
best that can be said of any man — the world is better be- 
cause he lived in it. 

Mr. Norton resumed the chair. 

Mr. Young of North Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unani- 
mous consent that all Members shall have five days within 

[38] 



Proceedings in the House 



which to extend their remarks upon the life, character, 
and public services of the late Henry T. Helegsen. 

The Speaker pro tempore. The gentleman from North 
Dakota [Mr. Young] asks unanimous consent that all 
Members have five days in which to extend their remarks 
upon the life, character, and public services of the late 
Henry T. Helgesen. Is there objection? [After a pause.] 
The Chair hears none. 

Under the special order for the day the House now 
stands adjourned until 12 o'clock noon to-morrow. 

Accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 10 minutes p. m.) the 
House adjourned until to-morrow, Monday, March 11, 
1918, at 12 o'clock noon. 



[39] 



Proceedings in the Senate 

Wednesday, April 11, 1917. 

A message from the House of Representatives, by E. T. 
Taylor, jr., one of its clerks, communicated to the Senate 
the intelligence of the death of Hon. Henry T. Helgesen, 
late a Representative from the State of North Dakota, 
and transmitted resolutions of the House thereon. 

The Presiding Officer. The Chair lays before the Sen- 
ate resolutions of the House of Representatives, which 
will be read. 

The Secretary read the resolutions, as follows: 

In the House of Representatives of the United States, 

April 11, 1917. 

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of 
the death of the Hon. Henry T. Helgesen, a Representative from 
the State of North Dakota. 

Resolved, That a committee of Members of the House, with such 
Members of the Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend 
the funeral. 

Resolved, That the Sergeant at Arms of the House be authorized 
and directed to take such steps as may be necessary for carrying 
out the provisions of these resolutions, and that the necessary ex- 
penses in connection therewith be paid out of the contingent fund 
of the House. 

Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the 
Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

Resolved, That as a further mark of respect the House do now 
adjourn. 

Mr. McCumber. Mr. President, I offer the following res- 
olutions and ask that they be read. 

[41] 



Memorial Addresses: Representative Helgesen 

The resolutions were read, considered by unanimous 
consent, and unanimously agreed to, as follows: 

Resolved, That the Senate has heard with deep sensibility the 
announcement of the death of the Hon. Henry T. Helgesen, late 
a Representative from the State of North Dakota. 

Resolved, That a committee of 11 Senators be appointed by the 
Vice President, to join the committee appointed on the part of the 
House of Representatives, to attend the funeral of the deceased. 

Resolved, That the Secretary communicate a copy of these reso- 
lutions to the House of Representatives. 

The Vice President appointed, under the second reso- 
lution, as the committee on the part of the Senate : Mr. 
Gronna, Mr. McCumber, Mr. Kenyon, Mr. La Follette, 
Mr. Jones of New Mexico, Mr. Husting, Mr. Cummins, Mr. 
Broussard, Mr. Smith of South Carolina, and Mr. Fernald. 

Mr. McCumber. Mr. President, as a further mark of re- 
spect to the deceased Representative I move that the 
Senate adjourn. 

The motion was unanimously agreed to and (at 6 o'clock 
and 20 minutes p. m.) the Senate adjourned until to-mor- 
row, Thursday, April 12, 1917, at 12 o'clock meridian. 

message from the house 

Tuesday, March 12, 1918. 
A message from the House of Representatives, by G. F. 
Turner, one of its clerks, transmitted to the Senate resolu- 
tions on the life and public services of Hon. Henry T. 
Helgesen, late a Representative from the State of North 
Dakota. 



[42] 



L6Ja'2l 



